Oor representasies en die fisiese wêreld

Abstract:

Physical theories are based on models or representations of the physical world. The study of these representations from the mechanistic age (the latter part of the nineteenth century) up to the present time, reveals an interesting evolution. The theories in the last part of the previous century, had, as foundation, a physical representation; constructed in such a way that the physical system could be recognised, and designed for a manageable mathematical exposition. The dawn of the age of micro phenomena saw the exit of the deterministic age; an element of propability was built into the theories. Theories relied more and more on abstract mathematical representations; for example the quantum mechanics and the representations of Schrodinger and Heisenberg. The best example of interaction between physics and pure mathematics is the theory of group representations. The special beauty of this interaction lies in the fact that it concerns the basic symmetries of atomic mechanics. This made it possible to understand many of the atomic secrets with surprising ease.